Hartlepool TV star Jeff Stelling quits Twitter after cyber row

Ian Willis

HARTLEPOOL TV star Jeff Stelling has quit social networking site Twitter after his teenage son was abused for his footballing abilities.

Stelling, who presents Sky Sports show Soccer Saturday, became embroiled in an angry exchange on Twitter on Monday and subsequently told his 415,000 followers that he was not making any more comments.

The town-born presenter said in one of his final tweets that he could not trust himself to respond to ‘some people in a correct way’.

The tweet which left the 58-year-old dad-of-three “steaming” - thought to have been posted by a Twitter user who had scored a goal against his son - was quickly deleted, but others were quick to comment on it.

Stelling, who was in Hartlepool earlier this month to present awards at English Martyrs School & Sixth Form College, regularly uses Twitter to voice his opinions on different matters.

In the last month alone, he has commented on the mayoral situation in Hartlepool, and also the fortunes of his favourite team, Hartlepool United.

In one of his tweets on Monday he said: “My apologies for the language but this persons time line simply appalling. I got irritated. Hope I offended no one.”

Another tweet read: “Sorry guys. People can abuse me but not my kids.”

His parting shot read: “Thanks for your support over last couple of years. Am closing account as I don’t trust myself to respond to some people in a correct way.”